The best way to defeat an entrenched enemy is to go around him, exposing weaknesses and gaps in the defence, and exploiting them to go beyond his defences in order to threaten his whole position.

• Are there customers, segments, or entire markets that are currently inadequately served or ignored by established competitors?
• Are there existing products and services that could be modified to better meet these needs?
• Are there components or technologies that could be re-combined or suitably modified to meet these needs?
• Could you effectively outflank and bypass the competition by exploiting these under-served or ignored needs?
• What competencies and resources can you bring to bear to exploit these opportunities?
• What financial, human, technical, marketing, and sales capabilities could you develop or acquire to bypass the competition?
• Can you keep the risks within acceptable bounds? What means could you use to do so?

Richard Martin is a Master Strategist and Leadership Catalyst. Richard brings his military and business leadership and management experience to bear for executives and organizations seeking to radically improve performance, grow, and thrive in the face of rapid change, harsh competition, and increasing uncertainty.

© 2015 Richard Martin. Reproduction and quotes are permitted with proper attribution.

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